Custom 150 Build thread

[jacksoncm]

After a long year of begging and pleading I've finally convinced my wife to let me builld a larger tank. This will be a mixed reef. I currently have a 68 gallon half cylinder (aqua vim) that while nice and growing coral, just isn't big enough for what I want..

The "spec's" for the new tank are:
Dimensions: 60x24x24 (black back w/ 3 sides starfire)
Lighting: 3 x Radion XR15 pro's (have these already)
Powerheads: 2 x MP40's (have these already)
Skimmer: Vertex Omega 150 (have this already)
Sump: Elite Aquatics M2 Sump (have this already)
Overflow: Centered 1" Herbie (emergency 1" as well) with a 3/4" single return


cabinet - 4 front doors and each side to have a door as well
hood (I like jumping fish so no rimless for me..) - will swing up


I've narrowed the short list down to:

Miracles
Reef Savvy
(a yet to be decided 3rd potential builder)

Comments on the above specs would be great. I can't really go to the full 180, but I like the depth/width. So 60" was a good compromise I think.

 

[jacksoncm]

decisions, decisions

decisions, decisions

So I've made the decision to go with Miracles..

Price for the glass was pretty much equivalent, but the stand was a bit more through ReefSavvy. At the end of the day Felix had a 6 month lead time, and I just couldn't see myself pacing the floor that long.

I'm still working on the final layout, but Derek suggested the idea of cutouts for the XR15 on top of the canopy instead of a rail system. The cutouts would let me sit the lights down into the canopy but they would vent external. This might make them cool a bit better and reduce some of the fan noise I get with them currently. Still debating about it.

The other idea I'm throwing around is having the right side of the stand converted to a utility box. This is where I could mount my Apex controller and PDU's. It would allow for a tiddy install and let me keep them away from the sump and salt creep.

 

[jacksoncm]

all systems go

all systems go

ordered the tank this morning..

I had them add a few things to the order.

I had them build a screen top (in addition to the canopy). This way with any luck I can keep the fish in the tank.

I also had them add a false wall on the right side of the stand. There is a 3" access hole at the bottom of it and the right side door opens up to where will be the APEX, PDU's, and Vortech controllers. This way I can reduce the expose to the brains of the operation. The depth will be 5" so I won't lose a great deal of space for the sump, reactors, ATO, and dosing equipment.

 

[jacksoncm]

tank is built -- delivery soon

tank is built -- delivery soon

Got pictures from Miracles today of the tank (no pictures of the stand as of yet)

Just got off the phone with Derek. Going to add 2 bulkheads on the overflow to allow me to attach my loclines for the returns (2 x 3/4" -- will T off the single return line).

Also we are planning delivery for May 27th!

 

[jacksoncm]

cabinet & canopy

cabinet & canopy

canopy and cabinet pictures.

 

[jacksoncm]

pictures of the tank done

pictures of the tank done

 

[GSMclowns]

Beautiful tank. Whats the dimension of the overflow by the way?
Just out of curiosity, why not have the overflow in a corner instead of the middle of the tank? Wouldn't the overflow in the middle limits the flow of the powerheads?

 

[greaps]

Great looking tank! Excited, looking forward to watching it come together.

 

[jacksoncm]

Beautiful tank. Whats the dimension of the overflow by the way?
Just out of curiosity, why not have the overflow in a corner instead of the middle of the tank? Wouldn't the overflow in the middle limits the flow of the powerheads?

Overflow is 6" x 15". Which compared to my current 68 gallon aquarium half moon tank is rather small.

I wasn't a huge fan of putting the overflow on either side only because I didn't want to see the plumbing. The corner overflows I've seen tend to be connected to the side pane which would expose the plumbing (and I wanted to avoid that).

Will have to see what kind of an impact the centered overflow has to flow patterns, but with any luck I can make some adjustments to it and go from there.

 

[andrek787]

Jackson, could you say how much the tank cost you? I am curious how much a premium Miracles carries compared to SCA (they sell an almost identical tank).

 

[btucker7587]

Have the same size tank. Looking forward to seeing your setup.

 

[Metazoer]

Tagging along.

 

[jacksoncm]

Jackson, could you say how much the tank cost you? I am curious how much a premium Miracles carries compared to SCA (they sell an almost identical tank).

The invoice I have doesn't go into that detail. I think if I were to remember right the breakout was a few hundred more for the tank itself..

That said, the tank is the same dimensions of an SCA Tank (My brother has a 50 rimless cube from them which is top notch), but there are subtle differences in the two tanks.

SCA uses 12mm starfire glass, Miracles used 5/8" starfire.
The SCA overflow is a durso overflow where I had Miracles drill it for a Herbie setup.

SCA carries a 3 year warranty, Miracles has a 5 year warranty..

Other than that I went specifically with Miracles because I needed a custom cabinet and really wanted some specific design requirements which Miracles was able to work out for me.

 

[andrek787]

Thanks for the info. 5/8th vs. 1/2" makes a big price difference. Their new 210g tank is made from 15mm (5/8) and its 3 times more expensive than the 150. The latest batch of SCA's 150g tanks are drilled for herbie. I ordered one but it took them too long to get them in stock so I ended up deciding to cancel.

 

[jacksoncm]

Tank arrived. Upon inspection there were a few changes to the original design which prompted me to make some significant changes to the overall equipment list.

Tank is drilled much larger than I had spec'd.
Overflow has 2 x 1-1/2" drains and 1 x 1" return. This is definitely not the end of the world, and quite honestly was one of the areas I was regretting that I didn't go larger with.

So that said:

new RS-40 (Elite Aquatics) will be here Thursday. I decided the sump I had was really not going to be sufficient for this tank and I needed to go larger. If I can drill the drains larger on the sump to match the 1-1/2" lines great. Otherwise I'll use reducers at the sump to get them down to the pre drilled 1" lines.

With a new sump it also let me go with a different return pump (internal vs external). So I went with a Sicce Syncra Pro 1900. Hopefully this will give me enough return flow to also run my reactors and save myself the space the external pump was taking up.

The real work (build) will happen after I get back from a work trip on 6/14. Then I can start the breakdown of the 68 which involves putting my fish back into quarantine and moving the rock I have into tubs while I move the old tank out and put the new tank in (along with some minor structural supports in the basement for safe measure). With any luck I'll be filling the tank by Father's Day.

 

[DaveRaz]

Awesome. I'm buying the same tank. Going to get a customer steel stand fabricated though because i want it taller.

 

[jacksoncm]

Update

Update

Tank is in.

 

[FLSharkvic]

I also have a SCA 150

I also have a SCA 150

I bought the same tank but i went with one of there Custom RIMLESS DISPLAY TANKs instead and will be running 20'' Synergy External Overflow box.
Also, I have 2 MP40QWDS PLUS, TWO Ecotech return pumps (M1) and an (L1) for my main return pump for my Synergy CL-44 CUSTOM sump that currently in production.
Everything is connected to my 50 saltwater mixing station. I have a BRS 6 Stage RODI unit with a dual Membrane upgrade along with a Booster pump, Ink Bird Temp Controller,
Reef Octo VarioS4 pump and a PinPoint Salinity Monitor.





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